Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations have arrested three foreign nationals who were found in possession of raw emeralds worth approximately Sh19 million without proper documentation.
The suspects, Milton Ivan Espana Diaz from the United States, Luis Carlos Garcia Ayala from Colombia, and Manuel De Jesus Arevalo Rodriguez from Mexico, were nabbed on June 30, 2026, with emeralds weighing a total of 74 grams.
According to the Anti-Illegal Mining and Smuggling Investigations unit, preliminary investigations showed that the three men did not have any papers showing where the minerals came from. They also lacked a valid mineral dealer's license or trading license from the State Department for Mining.
The three were brought before the Chief Magistrate's Court in Kibera where they faced two charges. The first count was dealing with minerals without a valid dealer's license, and the second was unauthorised possession of precious minerals. They all denied the charges and pleaded not guilty.
The court granted them bond of Sh500,000 with a surety of a similar amount. Alternatively, they could pay a cash bail of Sh200,000 with one contact person. The magistrate also ordered that their passports be deposited in court as part of the conditions for their release.
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